The Portland daily press., 1887-10-15
CONCERNING BOOKS.
BY E. cAvAzzA.

Perhaps the most notable event of the lit
erary year is the publication of volume of
| Thackeray's Letters. 1t is natural that the
public should care greatly to know what
manner of man was this great novelist, and
| perhaps also to return the close scrutiny
with which he regarded the public while tax
ing here and there type or feature for
Pendennis, and Amelia, and Colonel Esmond
and Becky Sharpe and the rest. The COM
monplace idea that Thackeray was nothing
If not cynical, has been refuted by readers
who went deeper than the hard brlliance of
the mere surface; but these Letters must dis
pei the last suspicion if any such remain in
the minds of ''demi-semi-literary" persons
who like to affix secondhand labels of opin-
ion upon the images of great men.
The Letters reveal warm, large, and sim
pie heart, beneath the witty phrases of the
man of the world and the novelist The cor
respondence was addressed mostly to Mrs.
Jane 0ctavia Brookfeld-wife of the late
Rev. w. H. Brookfeld to whom also were
written some of the letters-and covers
period OF time from 1917 to 1854 The edit
ing of the volume has been done by Mrs.
Brookfeld, with the appreciation of Mrs.
y.
was herself prevented by an expressed wish
OF her father from under!C ing such task.
Although many names are mentioned in the
course Of the letters. care has been exer-
cised that things said, naturally and rightly
enough, in writing to familiar friends.
should not appear in print and cause wound
ed feeling Indeed, Thackeray seems to
have regarded people, for the most, in
genial way; and this charitableness appears
to have resulted from inclination and princi-
pie alike. 1t were too much to expect of the
author of Vanity Fair that he should not
detect folly, or snobbery, or meanness; but
the whole impression left by the letters, is of
great-hearted and good man, who saw the
world and life as they are, and tried with
honest good will to make the best that he
could of his joys and sorrows and work.
The volume is one which invites eopious
quotation, for not otherwise is il easy to con-
vey an idea of the wide range, the variety,
the expansiyeness of its contents. Here and
there are scattered pen-and-ink drawings in
Thackeray's unmistakable manner; he him.
self is portrayed in all sorts of roles. from
big Englishman" to little Cupid, respect
fully saluting the brow of lady who had
sent some grapes to little Miss Thackeray.
during an illness of the child. Mrs. Brook
field, who seems to have sat as model for the
tender and devoted Amelia, is also sketched
otherwise than in words. Especially viva
clous are the drawings which accompany the
letters addressed to Miss Kate Perry, who
herself contributes some charming reminis-
cenees of Thackeray. Among the illustra-
tons, not by the great novelst's pen, is one
OF Ulevendon Court. the home of Mrs. Brook
feld's father, where Thackeray located his
Castlewood. He met the original of Blanche
Amory-or rather young lady who declared
to him that she must have sat for that pic
ture-in railway train, and caught ideas for
a new chapter of Pendennis as he talked
and persifated" with her. He speaks often
OF his rival Dickens sometimes with unstud-
led praise, as when he exclaims sect David
Copperfeld, by lingo it's beautiful; it beats
the yellow chap of this month hollowlp and
again, he frankly expresses his opinion that
Dickens has much to learn from the author
OF Pendennis. Jules Janin is portrayed in
a few mastery touches, with his "magnifi-
cent, jolly, intelligent face such as would
suit Pan should think; flood of rich
jovial talk" and the day before
Thackeray had met a cousin of his to whom
Becky was trifle," so that the same letter
includes these two brillisnt sketches One
of the most curious little episodes related. is
the occasion when Thackeray was asked TO
dinner at Sir George Napier's, where he met
IAN American lazy" he says, twas coming
in the evening, whose great desire in life.
was to meet the author of Vanity Fair, and
the author Of the Lays Of d. Rome so pro-
posed to Macaulay to enact me, and to let me
take his character. But he said solemnly,
that he did not approve of practical jokes,
and so this sport did not come to pass"
Endless citations might be made from the
riches of these bright, easy, graphic letters;
but the best result of them is that they bring
Thackeray clearly before the readers mind,
as generous, right-minded man, who be-
lieyed in heaven and in earth, in Love and
Art, and worked and struggled and took
pleasure and care in a manly fashion. New
York: Charles Scribners Sons; Portland:
Loring, Short q HARMONY